Bobbin clutch for rotatable spindles



Feb. 11, 1936. J. F. JACKSON BOBBIN CLUTCH FOR ROTATABLE SPINDLES FiledJan. 21, 1935 do HN FR EDERI CK JA CKSON wow/M3 Patented Feb. 11, 1936UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOBBIN CLUTCH FOR ROT'ATABLE SPINDLESApplication January 21, 1935, Serial No. 2,643 4 Claims. (01. 242 46.7)

. (This invention relates to bobbin clutches and ,more particularly toabobbin clutch for rotatable spindles of the type employed for spinningor i twisting yarns in which bobbin clutching members are provided tofit within the base of the :bobbin and to expand therein, thus to firmlyhold and maintain the bobbin in operative position upon the spindleduring the spinning or other operation.

. The objects of this invention are to provide a bobbin clutch which issimple and economical to manufacture and assemble, whichis efiicient anddurable in use, and which is generally superior to. bobbin clutches nowin use.

; With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to oneskilled in the art, my invention resides in the .combination of partsset forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended.hereto.

.;Referring to the drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of myinvention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged View in vertical elevation partly broken away ofthe assembled spindle -.c;lutch embodying a preferred form of theinventi n;

Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale with .parts broken awayshowing the respective positions of the springs and clutch fingers ofthe construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. :3 is aside elevation of a spindle embodying this invention;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the sleeve forming one element of theclutch construction; Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of one of thebobbin clutching members; and

6 is a detail partly in elevation and partly broken away of the bobbinhead construction shown in Fig. 1.

In accordance with my invention, I have pro vided a bobbin clutchconstruction for rotatable spindles which comprises essentially, first,a slottedsleeve rigidly secured to the spindle blade; secondly, aplurality of similar rigid bobbinclutching members surrounding thespindle blade, extending longitudinally thereof and fulcrumed betweentheir ends directly upon the blade so as to rock radially thereof;third, suitable means for limiting the outward movement of the upperends of the clutch members; and, fourth, radially yieldable means, suchas a plurality of compression springs acting individually upon theexterior of each of the clutch membersyielding- 1y; to press their lowerends radially inwardly to- Ward the spindle blade.

As illustrated in the drawing, one embodiment of this inventioncomprises a spindle blade ill of the usual form and a driving whirl l2rigidly secured thereto, preferably by a pressed fit, the whirl I2having a reduced hub l3 which extends upwardly from the upper surface ofthe whirl and terminated at its upper end by a flange l4 projectinglaterally from its upper periphery. In its upper face, which ispreferably flat, the whirl flange M is formed with an annular recess orgroove IS concentric with the blade 10 and is provided with a pluralityof symmetrically arranged radial slots l8, which in the preferredconstruction are herein shown to comprise four in number, in which theadjacent slots are diametrically at right angles to each other and thusdivide the upper face of the whirl into sectors. A slotted sleeve 20 issecured to or driven on the spindle blade and comprises a head portion2| from which depends a plurality of similar symmetrically disposedcircumferentially separated fingers 22 which form a series of radialslots between the adjacent fingers extending longitudinally from thebottom and throughout the major portion of the length of the sleeve. Thelower ends of the fingers 22 are seated in the bottom of the recess l6formed in the whirl flange I4. The exterior surface of the head 2i isprovided with flat portions 23 which are directly above the slotsbetween the fingers'22 and lie above the radial slots I8 in the whirlwhen the sleeve is seated in position thereon.

The bobbin clutching members '25 in their main portion present elongatedcylindrical segments and terminate at their lower ends inthin extendedportions 26. At their upper ends these segments are formed with thinlips 21. These clutching members preferably fit snugly within the slotsin the sleeve 28 with the bottom end portions 26 depending into theradial slots l8 in the whirl, with the lips 21 extending upwardly intothe interior of the sleeve 20 behind the flat sections 23 for limitingthe radial outward movement of the upper ends of the clutch fingers, andfitting in sliding contact against the side walls of the sleeve fingers22. -At their lower ends, the clutching members are held in position andthe clutching action is exerted thereon by individual compressionsprings 30, located wholly in place in the slots I8 within the whirlface, and they are freely movable therein and bear radially inwardlyagainst the exterior surface of the clutching members near their lowerends at "the extended portions 26. The springs 30 are shown as ordinarycoiled compression springs made from spring steel wire. Each bobbinclutching member at its inner surface has a fulcrum engagementintermediate and preferably about midway of its ends with the spindlelade it. From this point or line of fulcrum engagement, the interiorsurface of the clutch member below the fulcrum is reentrant and of lessthickness than the body of the member at the fulcrum point. This allowsthe bobbin clutching member to rock angularly in the slot in the sleeve28.

A cap 3!, shown as formed of thin metal having an annular fiat topportion 32, extends over the top of the whirl concentric with the bladeand forms a seat or rest for the bottom of the bobbin besides serving toprotect the movable clutch parts within the whirl from the entrance oflint or dirt. The cap is provided with a depending annular flange 33whereby it is secured to the upper end of the whirl flange l4,preferably by being driven on with a driving fit forming a closure forthe top of the whirl and to prevent displacement of the clutch actuatingsprings from the whirl.

In the use of my invention, when the parts are assembled, the springs 36individually bearing against the lower ends of the clutch members serveto maintain the clutch fingers in their radially outward position asshown in Fig. 1. At this time the springs 3B are in their normalposition. When the bobbin is placed on the spindle, as it passes downover the clutch members, it forces them inwardly, rocking them abouttheir fulcrum surface and causing their upper end 2'! to move radiallyinwardly toward the spindle blade. This causes the bobbin clutchingmembers, due to the reacting resiliency of the compression springs 35pressing on the exterior of the lower ends or" the individual clutchfingers, to rock about their fulcrum points upon the blade so as toeffect outward movement of the clutch fingers and cause them to pressfirmly against the bore of the bobbin and hold it in operative positionupon the spindle. Thus, as the spindle rotates, the centrifugal forceexerted upon the clutching members during the high speed of rotation ofthe spindle will act to increase the clutching action of the clutchingmembers on the bobbin.

Owing to the fact that the bobbin clutching members fit closely betweenthe side walls of the slots in the sleeve 25] and are enclosed at theirupper ends by the sleeve head 2| and at their lower ends by the bobbinrest cap 3i, it is practically impossible for lint, dust or dirt toenter to any substantial extent the interior of the sleeve 2c and tohave any detrimental effect upon the operation of the bobbin clutchingmembers or clog up the springs and lower parts of the clutch fingers.This is also further prevented by the rocking movement of the clutchmembers in the sleeve 28.

The individual springs 39 act to apply pressure directly to theindividual clutch fingers at their lower ends, and which by the fulcrumcontact of the fingers with the blade, cause an outward flare of theupper portion of the individual clutch members, thereby obtaining a morepositive and practical contact with the bore of the bobbin than hasheretofore been accomplished with the previous forms of bobbin clutches.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a plurality of clutch memberspositioned symmetrically around the blade and extending longitudinallyand angularly movable radially thereof,

presenting outer surfaces for engaging the.

bobbin and inner surfaces having fulcrumed engagement intermediate theirends with the blade, a sleeve concentric with the blade and secured atits upper end thereto and having a plurality of longitudinal slotsfitting the bobbin clutching members and within which slots the bobbinclutching members move radially and from which they project outwardly, awhirl secured to the lade having a plurality of slots in its upper faceand extending radially outward from the blade to the outer periphery ofthe whirl into which the lower ends of bobbin clutching members extend,and means including a spring located wholly in each of the whirl slotswhereby pressure is applied radially inwardly against the outer surfaceof the lower ends of the respective clutch members for effecting theclutching action.

2. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a plurality of clutch memberspositioned symmetrically around the blade and extending longitudinallyand angularly movable radially thereof, and presenting outer surfacesfor engaging the bobbin and inner surfaces having fulcrumed engagementintermediate their ends with the blade, a sleeve concentric with theblade and secured at its upper end thereto and having a plurality oflongitudinal slots fitting the bobbin clutching members and Within whichslots the bobbin clutching members move radially and from which theyproject outwardly, a whirl secured to the blade having a plurality ofslots in its upper face and extending radially outward from the blade tothe outer periphery of the whirl into which the lower ends of bobbinclutching members extend, a plurality of radially disposed springslocated one in each of the whirl slots, said springs being arrangedwholly in said slots and pressing radially inwardly against the outersurface of the lower ends of the respective clutch members for effectingthe clutching action, and a cap on the whirl closing the upper ends ofthe slots in its upper surface and having its exterior surface mergingwith the exterior surface of the whirl.

3. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a whirl secured to the bladehaving an annular recess concentric with the blade and presenting aplurality of radial slots in its upper face disposed laterally thereinforming circumferentially separated sectors, a sleeve concentric withthe blade and secured at its upper end thereto and hav-- ing a pluralityof depending fingers, the lower ends of which are seated in said recessand the sides thereof forming a plurality of similar vertical slots, aplurality of similar rigid clutch members mounted one in each slotseated at their lower ends in said radial slots of the whirl and freelymovable therein, extending at their upper ends interiorly of the sleeveand fulcrumed between their ends upon the blade to rock radially thereofin the sleeve slots, and a plurality of individual spring memberslocated one in each of said whirl slots for yieldingly and exteriorlypressing the lower ends of the clutch fingers radially inwardly towardthe spindle blade for effecting the clutching action.

4. A rotatable spindle comprising a blade, a whirl secured to the bladehaving an annular recess concentric with the blade and presenting aplurality of radial slots in its upper face disposed laterally thereinforming circumferentially separated sectors, a sleeve concentric withthe blade and secured at its upper end thereto and having a plurality ofdepending fingers, the lower ends of which are seated in said recess andthe sides thereof forming a plurality of similar vertical slots, aplurality of similar rigid clutch members mounted one in each slotseated at their lower ends in said radial slots of the whirl and freelymovable therein, extending at their upper ends interiorly of the sleeveand fulcrumed between their ends upon the blade to rock radially thereofin the sleeve slots, and a plurality of individual coiled compressionsprings located one in each of said whirl slots for yieldingly andexteriorly pressing the lower ends of the clutch fingers radiallyinwardly toward the spindle blade for efiecting the clutching action,and means on the blade for limiting the radial outward movement of theupper ends of the clutch members.

JOHN FREDERICK JACKSON.

